| S VENKATESHWARAN |
Just when we thought we had written the last word about
dramatist Kalaimamani Kudanthai Mali’s plays, he springs a
surprise with a new play – at age 94.
Even 65 years in theatre has not dimmed his passion for
theatre as his latest play, ‘Thoduvana Manithargal’, shows. An
adaptation of a story by noted Tamil novelist R. Indumathi – it is
the first time her story is being made into a stage play – the
drama has been receiving rave reviews.
The drama was first staged at Mylapore Fine Arts Club, where
it received excellent response from the audience. Following its
successful debut, the play was staged again on June 14 at the
Chromepet Cultural Academy. Another performance is
scheduled for July 10 at R.R. Sabha.
Mali also expressed his wish to bring the play to Nanganallur
soon.
Explaining the theme of the drama, Mali said the main message
of ‘Thoduvana Manithargal’ was that women should be
independent and confident in life. He added that more stories
carrying such meaningful social messages should reach the
public through theatre.
Mali explained that the title, ‘Thoduvana Manithargal’,
symbolises people who strive to reach the sky, as only a few
reach great heights in life through determination and hard work.
He praised writer Indumathi for creating such a powerful story.
He also highlighted a special feature of the production. For this
play, he introduced an LED backdrop on the stage, giving the
play a rich and modern visual appearance.
Mali said he was delighted with the audience response and
hoped that ‘Thoduvana Manithargal’ will soon be staged in
Nanganallur and reach even more theatre-lovers.
Though we had recorded this in the earlier editions of
Nanganallur Speaks, we would like to recall that Mali started
his drama career in 1954. His first play was ‘Thanthayin
Dheivam’.
“Theatre has been my life. I still feel the same joy when I see
the curtain rise. For me, age is just a number,” said Mali.
Over the years, he has written and staged more than 45 plays,
including 23 plays with his own script and stories. Many of them
have crossed 150 performances and created a strong social
impact.
Mali proudly recalled that his message-oriented play
‘Nammavargal’, which promoted religious harmony, received
special appreciation from former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Kalam invited Mali and his team to Rashtrapati Bhavan. “Dr.
Kalam spent more than 45 minutes with us, listening,
appreciating and encouraging us. It was one of the proudest
moments of my life,” he said.
Even at age 94, Kalaimamani Kudanthai Mali continues to
inspire audiences with his passion for theatre, proving that
dedication and creativity have no age limit.
